Warning from the Ministry of National Education to schools: 30 schools ordered to change their names

Following the recent crisis involving French and German schools, the Ministry of National Education has taken a new step regarding the matter.

The Ministry has requested that 30 schools in 6 provinces, whose names are not in Turkish, change their names.

The MEB General Directorate of Private Education Institutions sent a letter titled "Turkish Schools" to the governorships of 6 provinces.

The letter recalled the following provisions contained in the Ministry of National Education Regulation on Private Education Institutions:

"Institutions shall be given a Turkish name that carries a specific meaning, is appropriate to the institution's purpose, educational program, and level, and is in line with the general and special objectives and basic principles of Turkish national education as specified in the National Education Law No. 1739. However, minority schools, foreign and international schools, and courses providing only foreign language education may be given foreign names. Other institutions may not be given names of continents, countries, nations, history, numbers, or foreign institutions and organizations. It is essential that institutions use their names with their abbreviations, if any, excluding abbreviations found in the Turkish Language Association's index of abbreviations. If the institution name is to be used as an abbreviation, both the institution name and its abbreviation shall be included in the institution opening permit and the workplace opening and operation license..."

The Ministry notified the governorships of the 6 provinces of the names of the institutions found not to have been given Turkish names, warning that "It has been understood that the institution names are in violation of the aforementioned article, and a new institution name must be proposed."

It was learned that the number of schools whose names are not in Turkish in violation of the law is 30 across 6 provinces.

WHAT HAPPENED

The French Embassy in Ankara had announced that the MEB had presented them with an agreement for French schools in Turkey and that a note had been issued stating that if the agreement was not signed, Turkish students could not be enrolled in these schools and that students currently studying at the school would be transferred to Turkish schools.

Following the crisis, the MEB made its decision regarding the two French schools, and it was announced that work would begin on a cooperation agreement between the institutions. During this period, it was announced that no new Turkish students would be enrolled in these schools, and that until these schools attain a legal status, courses in "Turkish language, Turkish culture, Turkish literature, Turkish history, and geography" would be taught at the relevant grade levels by teachers who are citizens of the Republic of Turkey.

News Source: 12punto